Tasty whole grains and canned beans recipes from the pantry

This is a great slideshow from the NYTimes that might have the most diehard meat-eater wanting to sample the mostly veg recipes. They are lovingly shot and most include grains that you can buy in bulk and store in your cabinets. The next time you think there's nothing to eat, turn to these ideas.

Stealing recipe ideas from stores & restaurants

Breaking out of the food rut. Sometimes it seems like I am eating the same things over and over. That's when it's time to look for inspiration. Instead of starting with cookbooks, start by looking at stores with good deli items or the menus of restaurants you love then hit the cookbooks or online recipes and make your own versions of those items. I've ordered some of these 500 calories, 4 minute veggie meals from Fresh Direct in the past when I was working full time and trying to finish my thesis. Some of them were great with a lot of flavor, others ho-hum. But they all shook me out of the rice and beans mode when I had more time to cook and they helped me add protein options other than tofu and beans!

Three sustainable dishes for the non-cook: stir-fry, lentils and rice, cabbage salad

Mark Bittman introduces three basic recipes for the non-cook that are the building blocks for making your own dinner. Try these even if you are already a cook and post your variations. Thanks to the people at Sustainable Flatbush for sharing this via Twitter (full disclosure: I discovered it on their website).

Glazed Salmon with Spicy Grapefruit Relish from whole living.com

Michelle calls this the best salmon dish she's ever made. Fresh salmon and tart grapefruit seem like a good way to pretend at least for one dinner that you're on vacation somewhere tropical in the depths of winter.